Compton : James Case in Limbo

The felony election fraud case against City Councilman Floyd A. James remained in limbo last week after the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office asked a Superior Court judge not to set a trial date until Nov. 18. James is accused of issuing two fraudulent mailers during his 1985 reelection campaign and of attempting to buy votes by giving record albums to electors in return for a pledge of support.

Co-defendant Roderick Wright, the councilman’s political aide, recently pleaded no contest to a reduced charge involving one of the mailers. But prosecutors backed away from an apparently similar deal with James after receiving allegations that he had harassed a witness against him. After receiving a tip channeled through James, Compton police arrested the witness and reported finding three marijuana plants growing in her backyard. Prosecutors have declined to file charges against the woman, but the City Council is proceeding with hearings to decide if her house should be declared a public nuisance. The next hearing is set for Nov. 12.

A spokesman for the district attorney said last week that the election fraud case against James will continue to be delayed until prosecutors have completed a review of the harassment allegations.